


Escape

by Hellokaelyn



Series: Fictober 2019 [2]
Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, Fictober, post 17x02, slight tag to 16x18, slight tag to 16x19
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-22 07:36:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20870564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellokaelyn/pseuds/Hellokaelyn
Summary: And just like every time, Nick let his emotions cloud his actions. Usually in anger, but this time there was no anger lingering anywhere. Only a pain in his chest and an ache in his heart.





	Escape

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not happy with this fic at all but hopefully you guys like it.
> 
> I combined fictober with this since it'd be easier. 
> 
> Prompt: "Just follow me, I know the area."

Those words lingered in his head long after they were said.  
  
_Don't be a wuss, tell her how you feel._  
  
He was going to ignore it just like he had come to ignore the way he felt about her (to the best of his ability) whenever he was with her. But as he was driving to his apartment, there was this ache in his chest and twisting in his gut, he knew what he had to do.  
  
Nick made a completely illegal u-turn and sped towards her apartment.  
  
Not wanting to give himself away too soon, he parked across the street a few cars down. Taking a breath, he moved to get out but stopped as his eyes landed on the two figures standing at the steps of her building.   
  
Ellie and _Boyd_.  
  
He breathed in sharply.  
  
It happened in seconds, but it felt like a lifetime.  
  
Boyd leaned in and _kissed_ her.  
  
Nick sped away. His tires leaving marks on the street and a loud squealing sound echoing through the air as his car disappeared into the night.   
  
And just like every time, Nick let his emotions cloud his actions. Usually in anger, but this time there was no anger lingering anywhere. Only a pain in his chest and an ache in his heart. Ellie had told him what she had with Boyd was over a while ago, but he couldn't even fault her for lying to him. He hadn't exactly been a model friend lately still feeling the sting of her accusing words and joke.  
  
Stopping at a red light, Nick took out his phone and in seconds bought himself his ticket of escape.   
  


* * *

  
  
"Ziva!"   
  
Ziva stopped and turned, a confused look on her face at the person jogging towards her with a bag slung over his shoulder.   
  
"Nicholas? What are you doing here?"  
  
"Mind if I tag along on your flight?" Nick asked, his grip on his bag tightening.  
  
She raised an eyebrow, eyes searching across his face. Ziva's eyes softened in seconds. "Running will not solve anything Nicholas..it only leaves hurt in the people you leave behind."  
  
"I'll be coming back I just.." He sighed and ran a hand down his face. "I went to tell her how I felt..and this guy she dated was there, he uh- kissed her."   
  
"And you need some time away." Ziva said in a whisper. Nick nodded and swallowed roughly trying to push down the feelings rising. "Did you at least tell someone where you are going?"  
  
"I called Vance..I have a lot of unused vacation, he cleared it."   
  
She smiled sadly at him, giving his arm a light punch that wasn't exactly gentle. "Well then, let us not miss our flight."  
  
Nick nodded, keeping his head down as they walked side by side.   
  
"Nicholas-"  
  
"Don't worry-" He cut her off with a humorless chuckle. "I already booked myself a hotel room, I won't be in the way of your reunion. I'm not coming to get in the way of anything, you won't even hear from me-"  
  
"Well..I was going to ask that you give us some time, but I do not want you staying alone."  
  
"You barely know me Ziva. I never even _met_ Tony-"  
  
"You are still family. Is that not what being on Gibbs' team is? I learned a lot in my years at NCIS..and one of those things is, family looks after family..I just have trouble realizing that myself sometimes."  
  
Nick let out a shaky breath.   
  
He hadn't even realized his hands started shaking until one of Ziva's hands gripped his. There was an understanding in her eyes.   
  
"Has that been happening a lot?"   
  
"Only recently..some things happened-"  
  
"You do not have to tell me Nicholas." Ziva gave his hand a squeeze before letting go. "I am not one to talk as I have my own demons to still work through, but just know it does not make you weak so do not treat it as such."   
  


* * *

  
  
A month passed quickly.   
  
Nick had barely been in Paris for a few hours by the time his phone started blowing up with calls and texts. Most of them from Ellie. He only picked up for Gibbs once, to let him know where exactly he was and that he just needed some time.   
  
Ziva leaned against Tony as they sat on the porch steps, watching Nick chase a giggling Tali across the yard.   
  
Being around Tali was the only time his eyes didn't look emotionless, the only time he smiled. Nick had seemed to shut down by the time they landed in Paris, and it had taken Ziva threatening him to even get him to leave his hotel once she had time with Tony and Tali. Tony had been the one to suggest he stay with them, knowing exactly what the other man was feeling.  
  
"Are you sure about this?" Tony whispered. "Not talking to Ellie and finding out what's really going on?"  
  
"Not really, but we both know what the push and yank-"  
  
"Pull..push and pull, Ziva."  
  
"-is like, and while I am sure there is more to the story, we can not just interfere. There is a..chance Nicholas may not be ready for a relationship with Eleanor."   
  
Tony looked at her, curiosity on his face. "What do you mean by that? From what I heard from Tim, Nick has liked her for a bit now-"  
  
"His feelings for her have nothing to do with it." Ziva looked over. Nick was now lying on the grass with Tali sitting on him, ripping grass from the ground that she then sprinkled on his face. He swatted the blades away in an exaggerated motion making her laugh. "I do not have all the details..but Nicholas has some problems he needs to work through, I am sure he could do that with Eleanor-" The unspoken _like I am with you_ hanging in the air. "-but I think we should give it more time."  
  
"You mean his anxiety?" Ziva turned her head sharply making Tony laugh. "Don't look so shocked, I've gone to therapy with you remember? And I was the _best_ NCIS agent-" Ziva's scoff cut through. "Also, it's obvious sometimes. I'm surprised none of the team or even Gibbs noticed, but I guess it's harder to see when you're so close and not looking for it."   
  
"I noticed when his hands started shaking at the airport."  
  
Tony nodded. "I've noticed that too. I noticed it when I first witnessed him doing that breathing thing."  
  
Ziva nodded with a sigh. She had seen it too. At times he would seem to forget to breathe, and would let out a loud shaky breath when it was over. After that if you were paying enough attention, you'd see his mouth move as he counted his breaths for a few minutes.  
  
"Nicky!" Tali's loud squeal rang through the yard.  
  
Her parents smiled watching Nick scoop her up, throwing her over his shoulder.

* * *

  
  
  
Two months went by, and in another month Nick would be forced to go back home.  
  
As time went on he started answering the others, but only sent Ellie one text letting her know he was okay. She had sent ten texts and called three times after when he didn't say any more.   
  
What he hadn't expected was for her to show up.  
  
"Can you get that Nicholas?" Ziva called from the kitchen where she was cleaning up Tali's lunch mess. Tony had left that morning to spend the day with Senior.   
  
"Sure!" He called back, moving towards the door with Tali on his hip, she was almost too big to carry now but Nick didn't care, it wasn't as if she weighed much. "C'mon munchkin, let's see who it is."  
  
Nick almost dropped Tali when he opened the door.  
  
"Dodah Ellie!" Tali shouted, wiggling to be let out of Nick's hold. His eyes didn't leave hers as he let Tali down. Tali ran forward and hugged her legs.  
  
Ellie laughed weakly and hugged the little girl back. "It's nice to see you too Tali."  
  
"Hey uh-" Nick cleared his throat, the tension rising in the air. "Munchkin why don't you go tell Ima who's here and that I'll be going out for a bit."   
  
Tali pouted but nodded, taking off towards the kitchen.   
  
Nick motioned his head for them to go. Ellie bit her lip and stepped aside to let him come out. She opened her mouth to speak but Nick held up his hand. "Not yet. Just follow me, I know the area."  
  
She nodded, shoving her hands in her pockets.  
  
They didn't speak until they got to a small park and sat at a secluded bench surrounded by hedges.   
  
"You've been avoiding me..you- you came here to get away from me."  
  
Nick bit the inside of his cheek at the obvious hurt in her voice. "I- the night I left with Ziva..I went to your apartment." Her eyes widened. "Ziva had straight out told me not to be a wuss..to tell you how I feel. I was going to do that but.."  
  
A moan of frustration came from Ellie as she dropped her face into her hands. "You saw Boyd."  
  
Nick pursed his lips and nodded. "Why..why lie to me Ellie?" He asked, anger hiding below the surface. Anger he had been suppressing since.  
  
"What? Nick I didn't lie-"  
  
"You told me things ended with him a while ago-"  
  
"It did!"  
  
"Then why were you kissing him?!" Nick shouted, standing up from the bench.  
  
Ellie slowly stood too with a sigh. "Nick, _he_ kissed _me_. I'm guessing you didn't stick around long enough to see me punch him for it."   
  
"Of course I didn't- wait what?" Nick gaped at her. "You _punched_ him?"  
  
A small laugh mixed with a scoff fell from her lips. "Yes! He knew I didn't feel that way, but decided it'd be okay to kiss me regardless of that. I even had _just_ rejected his offer to try and date again."  
  
"You..punched him?"   
  
Ellie bit her lip to hide her smile at his stunned facial expression. "Yes Nick, I punched him..but I think we have something else to talk about? Like perhaps the fact you just admitted to, I don't know..having feelings for me?"  
  
"Uh- yeah..right..that."  
  
She couldn't hide her smile this time. "Nick Torres..are you afraid of me?"  
  
"What? No!"   
  
Ellie took a step closer and Nick swallowed hard.  
  
_This was it_, he thought to himself.  
  
"I'm not afraid of you." Nick told her, closing the distance between them as he reached out to gently cup her face in his hands. "No one has ever had the power to ruin me Ellie, not emotionally...until you. That's why I'm afraid, you could destroy me Eleanor Bishop and I wouldn't be able to stop it."   
  
Her eyes watered against her will, and she raised her hands to grip his wrists as his thumbs caressed her cheeks. "Nick..that's a two way street you know. I was strong when Jake cheated, broke a little when Qasim died..but you're more than just the person I have feelings for."   
  
Nick sighed and gently rested his forehead to hers. Their eyes locked and almost simultaneously they smiled.   
  
"So..are you gonna kiss me, or do I have to wait another year for that?" Ellie teased lightly.  
  
"Shut up Ellie." He chuckled, closing the distance between their lips.

* * *

  
  
By the time they got back, Tony had returned.   
  
Nick and Ellie walked down the sidewalk towards the house grinning at each other with their hands clasped together between them.   
  
Ziva and Tony watching from the window shared a look followed by a smile. Both of them glad that the two younger agents didn't have to go through what they did before finally getting it together.   
  
They would have their own struggles, with Nick's anxiety and the lingering problem of Ellie's accusation that they still needed to air out, but they would work through it all together as the feelings between them only grew with time.


End file.
